Snail mail woes - Slow and costly postal service frustrates

Kelly Murphy19 Jun 2017, midnight

Frustration at slow and unreliable service from Australia Post continues to mount with ongoing complaints receiving little response.
A changed sorting system means letters are no longer sorted in Bendigo but instead collected and transported by truck to a sorting facility in Dandenong before being returned and then delivered.

slow delivery and the increased price of stamps was a double whammy for regional people.

Frustration at slow and unreliable service from Australia Post continues to mount with ongoing complaints receiving little response.

A changed sorting system means letters are no longer sorted in Bendigo but instead collected and transported by truck to a sorting facility in Dandenong before being returned and then delivered.

Parcel delivery changes have also seen a reduction in service.

Adam Taylor of Carisbrook-based Triumph Performance Parts relies on the efficiency of Australia Post to run his online business.

"We constantly get complaints," Mr Taylor said.

"It's hard running a business where you rely on the mail service altogether."

Mr Taylor said his parcels were sent to Ballarat and Sunshine sorting facilities before being returned for delivery in Bendigo.

He said when he complained to Australia Post it could take up to four weeks to receive an unsatisfactory response.

An Australia Post spokesperson said there were no delays for mail delivery in central Victoria.

"We are pleased to report that we continue to exceed our service performance target of 94 per cent, delivering more than 98 per cent of letters on time or early (both nationally and in Victoria). Our service performance is externally audited and verified," the spokesperson said.

"We are committed to providing the community with a reliable, accessible and sustainable mail delivery service. Our hard working people do a great job delivering items safely and efficiently all year round.

"Local Priority mail (attracting a surcharge of an extra 50 cents) across central Victorian regions is processed and delivered locally on the next business day. All other mail is transferred to our major mail centre in Melbourne for processing using advanced automation technology."

Federal Member for Bendigo, Lisa Chesters MP, said the slow delivery and the increased price of stamps was a double whammy for regional people.

"It's bloody shocking. Australia Post can't give me answers as to why mail can take anywhere from three days to three weeks to be delivered," she said.

"It's an appalling response."

She called for the sorting service to be reinstated in Bendigo and for local letters to be sorted locally.

"Businesses can't rely on what once was the most reliable source of communication," she said.

"It's a watered down service and affects business in many ways. I get many complaints of letters getting lost or being delayed."

She said Australia Post was obligated to ensure regional services received the same service as city areas and recent organisational changes were argued to have made the system more efficient.